Country House Living

For Nora Murphy, a country house isn’t so much a place as it is a state of mind. A country house is warm, welcoming—at once down to earth, yet elegant. A country house has genuine character, tells a story, and is truly, wonderfully lived in. Here, Murphy explores the tenets of country house style, as illustrated by her own “new” country house, and the many other striking homes she has curated for the book.

Each one of these homeowners has embraced country house style—but each implements it in their own unique way. There is a pastoral 1732 centre-chimney colonial in Connecticut nestled in spectacular gardens, a cosy cottage on the coast of Maine rich with local details, and an 1840s Greek Revival in the Hudson Valley filled with romantic Victorian ephemera. Common threads weave through the stories: the thrill of the antiques hunt, the role of history, and the priority of comfort.

Filled with practical ways to celebrate American country style, beautifully designed with a ribbon bookmark, and written in the author’s warm and effusive voice, this book will inspire readers to create a country house lifestyle wherever they live.